Demystifying Guitar Since 2002

Eric Haugen is an accomplished guitarist and experienced teacher working in the Triangle region of North Carolina. He emphasizes composition, subtlety, and tone, and his detailed transcriptions showcase not only classic guitar heroes but also those often overlooked. Eric offers lessons five days a week at his studio in downtown Carrboro, as well as long-distance lessons via Skype. His YouTube channel gives a wide array of lessons for free and is updated weekly.

There are many musicians to be admired. It’s easy to focus on guitarists. The most influential would be not only the great virtuosos of the instrument, but subtle and thoughtful craftsmen who are often overlooked. Jimi Hendrix is an iconic god of the modern electric guitar, and all those who play the instrument today are in some way disciples of his, whether intentionally or not. But there are others, like Joey Santiago of The Pixies, who are not howling guitar heroes but rather deft and creative composers, working inside the song, contributing beautiful counter melodies and rhythms that raise the artistry of the piece. That’s what I try to emulate in my own work, and that’s what I teach my students.

When he's not playing or teaching, you can find Eric and his wife, Jody Cedzidlo, working on her clothing line, Flytrap Clothing. On their days off, they're at the farmer's market, tackling home improvement projects, or hanging out with friends in their backyard gazebo.